Lawsuit over DTE Smart Meters

A lawsuit over Smart Meters is creating a David and Goliath Situation with two Oakland County homeowners. Smart Meters are relatively new technologies that use a wireless signal to transmit power use information to the utility.

Dominic Cusumano says a Smart Meter installed at his home by DTE Energy caused flu-like symptoms for his wife.

He says they asked DTE to remove it, and got no response. So he removed it himself and got sued.

"When she was getting sick", he says, "I removed the meter and I put the analog meter on and I wrapped up their smart meter and I sent it back to them unharmed."

But he says he doesn’t feel he’s fighting with DTE.

"We’re here to help DTE, because DTE needs to know to protect themselves from the liability. This could very well be the next asbestos or tobacco situation."

DTE doesn’t agree that the devices are harmful. And state regulators are currently reviewing DTE ‘s proposed opt-out program that would allow customers to opt out of the smart meters.

- Chris Zollars, Michigan Radio Newsroom

*Correction - a previous version of this story stated that smart meters "may cause health issues for some. " There is no scientific basis for this statement. The copy above has been corrected.